How to Clean Upholstery
Cleaning upholstery is important for extending the life of the furniture you love. There are several reasons why people might really love with their furniture and one of the reasons may be because of the way it looks. But, with something like furniture, you have to give it the proper care in order to keep it looking as good as it did when you bought it.
Caring for your upholstery should be included in your regular household leaning. When you are vacuuming the floors, take the time to vacuum the upholstery as well. This can be done on a weekly basis. Vacuuming the furniture removes surface soil preventing the dirt from becoming embedded in the fibers. You can also use a soft brush to whisk dirt away instead. Plus, periodically turning over the loose cushions can extend your furniture’s life. It allows an even distribution of wear and tear plus your cushions won’t develop indentations right away. Also, fluffing the cushions helps to keep them in shape. You can also change the cushions around from one part to the other. Some seats get used more then other ones so, changing the cushions distribute an even amount of use. Try to keep your furniture out of direct sunlight.
Too much sunlight can cause your furniture to fade or fry. Silks are even more delicate. Plus, airborne pollutants such as smoke or fumes from cooking can harm your fabric. It’s not always easy to avoid fumes from cooking but, proper ventilation can help. Sometimes prevention is the best way to keep something clean. If you want to avoid stains and dirt on your furniture, set up rules to avoid this from happening. Do not allow anyone to eat on the couch, love seats or chairs. Choose dinning room chairs that come with a removable and machine washable covers for chairs with a fabric seat cushion. Do not allow shoes on the couch. To make sure that no one forgets this rule, make sure couch dwellers take their shoes off before they even sit on it. Also, do not allow dogs on the furniture or even in the same room as the upholstery you are trying to protect.
Do not underestimate the power of a fabric protector. Sometimes removing a stain is easy as blotting it up when your furniture is already protected. But, if you do not have a fabric protector on your furniture, act quickly when it comes to stains. Blot up as much of the liquid as you can with a clean towel. Never rub the fabric because this can cause more damage. Use a spot cleaner specifically meant for upholstery. Make sure that you read all of the manufactures instructions first and test the product in an inconspicuous area first to make sure that it does not damage your fabric. Use a soft brush to gently work the cleaner into the fibers in a circular motion. Then, vacuum when it’s dry.
Every couple of years or so, you may want to have a professional come into your home to clean your upholstery. Once a piece of furniture has become overwhelmed with dirt, it is harder to restore it to look as good as it did when you first bought it.